WAYS to make the most of St. Michael and All Angels’ Church for the congregation and community, are in discussion as the rector says ‘exciting plans’ are in development.
The update follows other churches across the country that have been exploring new ways to utilise churches as community spaces.
“I think it’s great for the church to be creative in reaching out to the community with God’s love in new ways,” says the rector of St. Michael and All Angels’ church, Charlie Thomson.
“The good news of Jesus hasn’t changed for 2,000 years, but the packaging certainly has!
“Often our wonderful churches are the largest community spaces available, so it makes sense for them to be used for the community beyond an hour or so on Sunday mornings. The challenge is that they are also spaces set aside for the worship of God, so it’s important that community activities align with Biblical teaching in bringing glory to Jesus.
“We are in the process of thinking through how we make the most of the space at St Michael’s church, both for the congregation and the community, and have some exciting plans in development – check out www.melksham.church to find out more – we’d love to hear from you!”
A Church Times report in 2022 said the future survival of rural churches lies in their ability to serve the wider community. A study by the University of Reading, also concluded that opening the church up for wider community activities could lead to other sources of funding that could help with repairing and upgrading the facilities.
Across the country, other churches are exploring ways of engaging with the wider community and finding other uses for church spaces. Canterbury Cathedral divided opinion recently when the national press reported that 3,000 people attended a silent disco held in the cathedral. In St. Ives, Cornwall, a church has recently installed a bar for serving drinks during community events.
For St. Michael and All Angels’ Church, things are going well says Charlie, who recently reported more services have been added to the timetable following a growth in the congregation.
